Applications of steel to building structures in Japan can date back to the first steel factory, ShueishaPrinting Plant, constructed in 1894. History of steel bridges in Japan can trace back to the first steel bridge, KuroganeBridge in Nagasaki, constructed in 1868 using wrought iron. As the developments of large-scale structures, newconstruction technologies and demanding structural performance, a variety of high performance steels (HPSs) havebeen developed. In this study, history of applications of HPSs to building and bridge structures in Japan is brieflyreviewed. The characteristics of typical HPSs in both buildings and bridges are introduced, respectively, and theirimpacts on structural engineering are also discussed.